Pet kennel

ABSTRACT

A pet kennel that is structured to receive an animal includes an upper kennel portion and a lower kennel portion that include first and second engagement structures that are slidingly engageable. The upper kennel portion is situated in a first position atop the lower kennel portion offset from one another along a longitudinal axis of the pet kennel. The upper kennel portion is then translated along the longitudinal axis with respect to the lower pet kennel portion toward a second, assembled position to cause the first engagement elements and the second engagement elements to become slidingly engaged and to cause the upper and lower kennel portions to become aligned with one another. The upper kennel portion additionally includes a pair of latches that are engageable with the lower shell portion in the second position of the pet kennel to retain the upper and lower kennel portions in the second position.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The instant application claims priority from U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/604,543 filed Feb. 29, 2012, the disclosures ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The disclosed and claimed concept relates generally to pet kennels and,more particularly, to a pet kennel having structures that facilitateassembly.

2. Background

Pet kennels are generally well known in the relevant art for variouspet-related purposes. Such pet kennels typically include an enclosedspace within which an animal can be retained for purposes of transport,training, and as a place in which the animal can sleep, by way ofexample. While such pet kennels have been generally effective for theirintended purposes, they have not been without limitation.

Known pet kennels have typically been formed from a pair of shellswhich, when assembled together with fasteners or the like, and with theaddition of a door between the shells, form the kennel. The shellstypically have been configured to nest, one within the other, forshipment, sale, and storage, but typically are assembled by the consumerafter purchase. After assembly, however, the fasteners have often beenlost in the ordinary course of use of the pet kennel. Also, thefasteners can be difficult or at least tedious to use in assembling thekennel. Moreover, and depending upon the size of the kennel, the holesformed in the shells through which the fasteners are received can bedifficult to align, adding further complexity to the assembly process.

It thus would be desirable to provide an improved pet kennel thatovercomes these and other shortcomings in the relevant art.

SUMMARY

An improved pet kennel that is structured to receive an animal thereinincludes an upper kennel portion and a lower kennel portion that includefirst and second engagement structures, respectively, that are slidinglyengageable with one another. The upper kennel portion is situated in afirst position atop the lower kennel portion offset from one anotheralong a longitudinal axis of the pet kennel. The upper kennel portion isthen translated along the longitudinal axis with respect to the lowerpet kennel portion toward a second, assembled position to cause thefirst engagement elements and the second engagement elements to becomeslidingly engaged with one another and to cause the upper and lowerkennel portions to become aligned with one another. The upper kennelportion additionally includes a pair of latches that are engageable withthe lower shell portion in the second position of the pet kennel toretain the upper and lower kennel portions in the second position.

Accordingly, an aspect of the disclosed and claimed concept is toprovide an improved pet kennel having engagement elements on each of anupper and lower kennel portion that are slidingly engageable with oneanother when the upper kennel portion is translated into alignment withthe lower kennel portion.

Another aspect of the disclosed and claimed concept is to provide such apet kennel that additionally has a number of latches that lock the upperand lower kennel portions in their position aligned with one another.

Another aspect of the disclosed and claimed concept is to provide suchan improved pet kennel that additionally includes one or more alignmentelements that resist movement of the upper and/or lower kennel portionsalong an orthogonal axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axisduring movement of the upper kennel portion from the first positiontoward the second position.

Another aspect of the disclosed and claimed concept is to provide suchan improved pet kennel having an abutment element on at least some ofthe engagement elements and that resists disengagement of the alignmentelements along the orthogonal axis after assembly of the pet kennel.

Accordingly, an aspect of the disclosed and claimed concept is toprovide an improved pet kennel that is structured to receive an animaltherein. The pet kennel can be generally stated as including an upperkennel portion and a lower kennel portion. The upper kennel portion canbe generally stated as including an upper shell portion and an upperconnection apparatus, and the upper connection apparatus can begenerally stated as including an elongated pair of upper supports beingsituated at alternate sides of the upper shell portion and each having anumber of first engagement elements. The lower kennel portion can begenerally stated as including a lower shell portion and a lowerconnection apparatus, and the lower connection apparatus can begenerally stated as including an elongated pair of lower supports beingsituated at alternate sides of the lower shell portion and each having anumber of second engagement elements. The upper kennel portion istranslatable with respect to the lower kennel portion along alongitudinal axis of the pet kennel between a first position and asecond position. In the first position, the pair of upper supports aresituated atop the pair of lower supports, the upper and lower shellportions are offset from one another along the longitudinal axis, andthe number of first engagement elements are disengaged from the numberof second engagement elements. In the second position, the pair of uppersupports are situated atop the pair of lower supports, the upper andlower shell portions are aligned with one another along the longitudinalaxis, and the number of first engagement elements are engaged with thenumber of second engagement elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A further understanding of the disclosed and claimed concept can begained from the following Description when read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an improved pet kennel in accordancewith the disclosed and claimed concept in an assembled position;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the improved pet kennel of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is side view of the improved pet kennel of FIG. 1 in an initialposition during assembly of the pet kennel;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, except depicting the pet kennel inthe first position during assembly thereof;

FIG. 5A is a rear view of the pet kennel with a pair of latches in anunlocked condition;

FIG. 5B is a view similar to FIG. 5A, except depicting the pair oflatches in a locked condition;

FIG. 6 is a cut away view of a portion of the pet kennel in the firstposition;

FIG. 7 is another cut away view of a portion of the pet kennel in thefirst position;

FIG. 8 is a view from a perspective similar to that of FIG. 7, exceptdepicting the pet kennel in an intermediate position between the firstposition and the second position;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, except depicting the portion of thepet kennel in the second position;

FIG. 10 is another cut away view of the portion of the pet kennel in thesecond position, except from a different perspective than FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view as taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 12 is a sectional view as taken along line 12-12 of FIG. 1.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the specification.

DESCRIPTION

An improved pet kennel 4 in accordance with the disclosed and claimedconcept is depicted in an assembled condition in FIG. 1 and is depictedin an exploded condition in FIG. 2. The pet kennel 4 can be said toinclude an upper kennel portion 8, a lower kennel portion 12, and a doorapparatus 16 that is situated between a pair of ends of the upper andlower kennel portions 8 and 12. The improved pet kennel 4, whenassembled, has an enclosed area within which a pet can be situated. Theupper and lower kennel portions 8 and 12 are also configured to benested together (not expressly depicted herein), with the door apparatus16 being nested between the nested upper and lower kennel portions 8 and12, such as during shipment and point of sale display.

As can be understood from FIG. 2 and from other figures herein, theupper kennel portion 12 includes an upper shell portion 20 and an upperconnection apparatus 24. The lower kennel portion 12 can likewise besaid to include a lower shell portion 68 and a lower connectionapparatus 72. The upper and lower shell portions 20 and 68 in theassembled condition of the upper and lower kennel portions 8 and 12(i.e., in the second position mentioned elsewhere herein) are concave ina direction facing toward one another to provide the aforementionedenclosed area for use by a pet. The upper and lower connectionapparatuses 24 and 72 are cooperable with one another to assembletogether the upper and lower kennel portions 8 and 12 and to retain themin the assembled position.

The upper connection apparatus 24 can be said to include a pair of uppersupports 28A and 28B that are elongated and are situated on oppositesides of the upper shell portion 20, as is depicted generally in FIG. 2.While the pair of upper supports 28A and 28B are depicted herein withthe different numerals 28A and 28B, it is understood that they can becollectively referred to herein with the numeral 28 for the sake ofsimplicity of disclosure. The upper supports 28A and 28B are mirrorimages of one another, and for simplicity of disclosure the variousfeatures that are set forth in greater detail below that are situated onupper support 28A are likewise mirror images of corresponding featureson the upper support 28B, but such additional features are not, forreasons of simplicity of disclosure, separately indicated withdesignations A or B.

The upper connection apparatus 24 further includes a number of firstengagement elements 32 that are situated on the upper supports 28. Asemployed herein, the expression “a number of” and variations thereofshall refer broadly to any non-zero quantity, including a quantity ofone. The upper connection apparatus 24 can further be said to include anumber of first receptacles 36 that are situated between adjacent pairsof the first engagement elements 32. The upper connection apparatus 24additionally includes a rim 40 that extends substantially continuouslyalong the supports 28, the first engagement elements 32, and the firstreceptacles 36. Moreover, the upper connection apparatus 24 includes anumber of openings 44 formed in the upper supports 28 adjacent the rim40.

As can be understood from FIGS. 6 and 7, for example, the upperconnection apparatus 24 further includes a number of abutment elements48, with each abutment element 48 being situated on a corresponding oneof the first engagement elements 32. As can be understood from FIGS. 11and 12, the upper connection apparatus 24 additionally includes a numberof alignment elements 52 that extend from the upper shell portion 8 andthat are engageable with the lower shell portion 68 in a fashion thatwill be set forth in greater detail below.

As can be understood from FIGS. 5A and 5B, the upper kennel portion 8further includes a pair of latches 56A and 56B that are movable betweenan unlocked position, as is depicted generally in FIG. 5A, and a lockedposition, as is depicted generally in FIG. 5B. In the assembled positionof the pet kennel 4, as is depicted generally depicted in FIGS. 1 and5B, the latches 56A and B are movable from their unlocked position totheir locked positions wherein certain structures of the latches 56A andB engage other corresponding structures of the lower kennel portion 12to retain the upper and lower kennel portions 8 and 12 in the assembledcondition (i.e., the second position mentioned elsewhere herein).

As can be understood from FIGS. 6 and 7, by way of example, each firstconnection element 32 can be said to include a strut 60 that isconnected with one of the upper support 28. Each first engagementelement 32 further includes a lug 64 that extends from end of thecorresponding strut 60 opposite the upper support 28, with the lugs 64and the upper supports 28 being oriented generally parallel with oneanother. The abutment elements 48 can be understood to be connected withthe strut 60 and leg 64 of each first engagement element 32 to increasethe stiffening of the first engagements 32 and to cooperate withengagement structures and other structures of the lower kennel portion12, as will be set forth in greater detail below.

The aforementioned lower connection apparatus 72 can be said to includea pair of lower supports 76A and 76B that are elongated and that extendsubstantially continuously on opposite sides of the aforementioned lowershell portion 68. As before, the lower supports 76A and 76B are mirrorimages of one another and, for the sake of simplicity of disclosure, canbe collectively referred to herein with the numeral 76. Again for thesake of simplicity of disclosure, features that are situated on thelower supports 76A and 76B are not indicated herein with the furtherdesignators A or B.

The lower connection apparatus 72 includes a number of second engagementelements 80 that are situated along the lower supports 76, and the lowerconnection apparatus 72 further includes a number of second receptacles84 that are situated between adjacent pairs of the second engagementelement 80. As can be understood from FIGS. 6 and 7, by way of example,each second engagement element 80 includes a ramped engagement surface80 that facilitates assembly of the pet kennel 4 in a fashion that willbe set forth in greater detail below. As can be understood from FIG. 7,for example, the lower connection apparatus 72 further includes a numberof stiffening elements collectively referred to with the numeral 92 thatare of varying sizes and shapes, many of which extend generally betweenthe lower shell portion 68, the lower supports 76, and the secondengagement elements 80, by way of example.

The pet kennel 4 is assembled by first positioning the lower kennelportion 12 on a floor or other support such that its concave portionfaces generally upward, as is depicted generally in FIG. 3. The upperkennel portion 8 is then positioned at an initial position, such as isdepicted generally in FIG. 3, wherein the upper kennel portion 8 issituated above the lower kennel portion 12 and is offset from the lowerkennel portion 12 along a longitudinal axis 94 of the pet kennel 4. Notonly are the upper and lower kennel portions 8 and 12 offset from onealong the longitudinal axis 94 in the initial position, but as isdepicted generally in FIG. 3, the upper kennel portion 8 is spacedvertically above the lower kennel portion 12 along a transverse axis 96that is oriented generally in the vertical direction from theperspective of FIG. 3 and is substantially perpendicular to thelongitudinal axis 94. In the initial position depicted generally in FIG.3, the first engagement elements 32 are aligned with but disengaged fromthe second receptacles 84, and the second engagements 80 are likewisealigned with but disengaged from the first receptacles 36.

The upper kennel portion 8 is then moved along the transverse axis 96from the initial position of FIG. 3 in a direction toward the lowerkennel portion 12, which direction in the depicted exemplary embodimentis the vertically downward direction, to cause the first engagementelements 32 to be received in the second receptacles 84 and to likewisecause the second engagement elements 80 to be received in the firstreceptacles 36. Such a condition is depicted generally in FIG. 4 and isdepicted in a cutaway fashion in FIGS. 6 and 7. The upper and lowerkennel portions 8 and 12 in the position depicted generally in FIGS. 4,6, and 7 can be said to be in a first position wherein the uppersupports 28 are situated atop the lower supports 76 and wherein theupper and lower kennel portions 8 and 12 are offset from one anotheralong the longitudinal axis 94. Moreover, and as set forth above, thefirst engagement elements 32 are received in the second receptacles 84,and the second engagement elements 80 are received in the firstreceptacles 36, meaning that the first and second engagement elements 32and 80 are disengaged from one another.

In order to move the pet kennel 4 from the first position depictedgenerally in FIGS. 4, 6, and 7 to the second, assembled position that isdepicted generally in FIGS. 1 and 5B, the upper kennel portion 8 istranslated along the longitudinal axis 94 in a direction to slidinglyengage together the first and second engagement elements 32 and 80. Suchsliding engagement between the first and second engagement elements 32and 80 is facilitated by the ramped engagement surfaces 88 (FIGS. 6-8)that are situated at the leading edges of the second engagement elements80 and which are engageable with the free ends of the lugs 64 to causethe lugs 64 to become aligned with and engaged with and to slidinglymove along the undersides of the second engagement elements 80 as isdepicted generally in FIG. 8. FIG. 8 more particularly depicts anintermediate position of the pet kennel 4 between the first and secondpositions.

The upper kennel portion 8 is translated along the longitudinal axis 94until the second engagement elements 80 become engaged with the struts60, as is depicted generally in FIGS. 9 and 10, which generally depictthe second position of the pet kennel 4. Once the pet kennel 4 is in thedescribed second position, the upper and lower kennel portions 8 and 12are aligned with one another along the longitudinal axis 94, and thelatches 56A and 56B can be pivoted from the unlocked position depictedgenerally in FIG. 5A to the locked position depicted generally in FIG.5B wherein structures of the latches 56A and B engage with correspondingstructures on the lower kennel portion 12 to resist movement of the petkennel 4 away from the second position. In order to disassemble theupper and lower kennel portions 8 and 12, the latches 56A and B aremoved from the locked position of FIG. 5B to the unlocked position ofFIG. 5A, and the upper kennel portion 8 is translated in the reversedirection along the longitudinal axis 94 to cause the first and secondengagement elements 32 and 80 to become disengaged with one another, andthe upper kennel portion 8 is then lifted along the transverse axis 96from the lower kennel portion 12.

In moving from the first position to the second position, and as can beunderstood from FIGS. 8-9 and 11, by way of example, the lugs 64 of thefirst engagement elements 36 are slidingly engaged with the undersidesof the second engagement elements 80, although the two are depictedherein as being slightly spaced apart for purposes of clarity. As can beunderstood from FIG. 12, the abutment elements 48 slidingly engage thestiffening elements 92. The lugs 64 and the abutment elements 48 engagedwith the second engagement elements 80 and the stiffening elements 92,respectively, resist movement of the upper and lower kennel portions 8and 12 away from one another along the transverse axis 96. As can befurther understood from FIG. 12, however, the abutment elements 48 arefurther engageable with the second engagement elements 80 along anorthogonal axis 98 that is substantially perpendicular to both thelongitudinal axis 94 and the transverse axis 96. The abutment elements48 and the second engagement elements 80 are depicted in FIG. 12 asbeing spaced apart from one another for reasons of clarity ofdisclosure, and they do not necessarily engage one another during theordinary use of the pet kennel 4. The possible engagement between theabutment elements 48 and the second engagement elements 80advantageously resists any movement of any portion of the upper andlower connection apparatuses 24 and 72 with respect to one another alongthe orthogonal axis 98, which further retains the pet kennel 4 in itsassembled, i.e., second position. Depending upon the size of the petkennel 4, the weight of the upper kennel portion 8 and/or the weight ofother objects that may be placed atop the upper kennel portion 8 mightcause the upper supports 28A and B to be generally pushed away from oneanother, but such movement is resisted by engagement of the abutmentelements 48 with the second engagement elements 80, which is desirablefor the continued structural integrity of the pet kennel 4 in itsassembled condition.

As can further be seen from FIGS. 11 and 12, the alignment elements 52are depicted as extending generally from the upper shell portion 20 andas slidingly engaging the lower shell portion 68 when moving the petkennel 4 between the first and second positions. Again, depending uponthe size of the pet kennel 4, the weight of the upper kennel portion 8and other factors can cause the upper supports 28A and 28B to move awayfrom one another along the orthogonal axis 98 prior to the engagement ofthe first and second engagement elements 32 and 80. The alignmentelements 52 thus advantageously resist such movement of the uppersupports 28A and 28B away from one another prior to the slidingengagement of the first and second engagement elements 32 and 80 withone another. The alignment elements 52 retain the first and secondengagement elements 32 and 80 aligned with one another in the firstposition and further retain the abutment elements 48 in a conditionspaced along the orthogonal axis 98 from the second engagement elements80, all of which facilitates movement of the pet kennel 4 between thefirst and second positions.

As can further be understood from FIGS. 11 and 12, the upper supports 28can generally be said to be interposed between the upper shell portion20 and the rim 40, with the rim 40 being situated at an outboardposition on the upper supports 28, and with the upper shell portion 20being situated at an inboard position on the upper supports 28. As canfurther be understood from FIGS. 11 and 12, the openings 44 that aresituated adjacent the rim 40 can be understood to each be situatedadjacent one of the first engagement elements 32. The openings 44 insuch proximity to the first engagement elements 32 enables the upperkennel portion 8 to be formable from conventional two-part molds whilestill providing to the upper kennel portion 8 and to the lower kennelportion 12 highly sophisticated assembly techniques which facilitate theease with which the pet kennel 4 can be assembled.

Once the upper and lower kennel portions 8 and 12 are in the secondposition and the latches 56A and 56B are moved to the locked positiondepicted generally in FIG. 5B, the door apparatus 16 can be positionedbetween the upper and lower kennel portions 8 and 12. As can be seenfrom FIG. 1, the door apparatus 16 can be said to include a door 100 anda pair of attachment devices 102A and 102B that each include a pair oftranslatable rods that are receivable in holes formed in the upper andlower shell portions 20 and 68. With the attachment devices 102A and102B engaged with the upper and lower kennel portions 8 and 12, the petcan be received in the enclosed area of the pet kennel 4 and can beremoved therefrom, all with simple operation of the door apparatus 16.

The improved pet kennel 4 thus advantageously can be easily assembledwithout the use of external fasteners since the first and secondengagement elements 32 and 80 retain the upper and lower kennel portions8 and 12 in their assembled condition and resist movement of the upperand lower kennel portions 8 and 12 in a direction away from one anotheralong the transverse axis 96. In this regard, therefore, it can beunderstood that the second engagement elements 80 in the second positionof the pet kennel 4 are situated generally between the upper supports 28and the lugs 64 of the first engagement elements 32. The latches 56A and56B further retain the pet kennel 4 in its assembled condition byresisting movement of the upper and lower kennel portions 8 and 12 withrespect to one another along the longitudinal axis 94. In this regard,while the assembly and disassembly of the upper and lower kennelportions 8 and 12 has been generally described in terms of the lowerkennel portion 12 being positioned in a stationary fashion on a floorand the upper kennel portion 8 being moved with respect to the lowerkennel portion 12 along the longitudinal axis 94, it is understood thatthe lower kennel portion 12 could alternatively be moved with respect tothe upper kennel portion 8 without departing from the present concept.

The upper supports 28A and 28B are advantageously engageable with thelower supports 76A and 76B to support the upper kennel portion 8 atopthe lower kennel portion 12 in both the first and second positions,thereby avoiding the need for the user to hold the upper kennel portion8 above the lower kennel portion 12 for an extended period of time. Thatis, once the lower kennel portion 12 is positioned on the floor, theupper kennel portion 8 can be lifted onto and placed atop the lowerkennel portion 12 in the first position depicted generally in FIG. 4,and the engagement of the upper supports 28 with the lower supports 76supports the upper kennel portion 8 in both the first and secondpositions. The alignment elements 52 advantageously align the first andsecond engagement elements 32 and 80 prior to the sliding engagement ofthe first and second engagement elements 32 and 80, which facilitatesassembly of the kennel 4. Moreover, the abutment elements 48 furtherresist movement of portions of the upper and lower kennel portions 8 and12 with respect to one another along the orthogonal axis 98, whichfurther maintains the structural integrity of the pet kennel 4 in thesecond, assembled position, which is highly desirable.

The foregoing describes some exemplary embodiments of pet housing havingselectively separable parts for storage, transport, and/or display.Although the foregoing discussion has presented specific embodiments,persons skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made inform and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of theembodiments to achieve similar functionality and utility to theexemplary embodiments disclosed herein. Moreover, it should beappreciated that features from a particular embodiment may beimplemented in another embodiment disclosed herein to achieve a desiredfunctionality. Accordingly, the specific embodiments described hereinshould be understood as examples and not limiting the scope of thedisclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A pet kennel structured to receive an animaltherein, the pet kennel comprising: an upper kennel portion having anupper shell portion and an upper connection apparatus, the upperconnection apparatus having a plurality of first engagement elements anda plurality of first receptacles disposed between each of the pluralityof first engagement elements; a lower kennel portion having a lowershell portion and a lower connection apparatus, the lower connectionapparatus having a plurality of second engagement elements and secondreceptacles disposed between each of the plurality of second engagementelements, the second engagement elements being structured to be receivedby corresponding receptacles of the first receptacles, the secondreceptacles structured to receive corresponding first engagementelements, the upper shell portion being horizontally movable withrespect to the lower shell portion between a first position and a secondposition when the upper shell portion is positioned atop the lower shellportion, the plurality of first engagement elements being disalignedfrom the plurality of second engagement elements in the first position,the first engagement elements being aligned with the second engagementelements in the second position such that the upper and lower shellportions form an enclosed area for the pet kennel.
 2. The pet kennel ofclaim 1, wherein the upper shell portion is translatable with respect tothe lower shell portion along a longitudinal axis of the pet kennelbetween the first and second positions.
 3. The pet kennel of claim 2,wherein the upper kennel portion is movable with respect to the lowerkennel portion along a transverse axis of the pet kennel between aninitial position and the first position, the transverse axis beingoriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, theinitial position being a position in which some of the second engagementelements are not received by the first receptacles, or some of the firstengagement elements are not received by the second receptacles.
 4. Thepet kennel of claim 3, wherein the first engagement elements arestructured to resist movement of the upper shell portion along thetransverse axis in a direction away from the lower shell portion whenthe first engagement elements are disaligned from the second engagementelements.
 5. The pet kennel of claim 4, wherein at least one of theupper kennel portion and the lower kennel portion further comprises alatch that is structured to be movable between an unlocked position anda locked position, the latch being disengaged from the upper kennelportion or the lower kennel portion in the unlocked position, the latchextending to the upper kennel portion or the lower kennel portion toresist translation of the upper shell portion with respect to the lowershell portion along the longitudinal axis away from second position inthe locked position.
 6. The pet kennel of claim 4, wherein at least oneof the upper connection apparatus and the lower connection apparatusfurther comprises an abutment element that is disposed adjacent acorresponding portion of the other of the upper connection apparatus orthe lower connection apparatus, the abutment element being structured toresist movement of the upper connection apparatus with respect to atleast a portion of the lower connection apparatus along an orthogonalaxis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis andthe transverse axis.
 7. The pet kennel of claim 6, wherein at least oneof the upper kennel portion and the lower kennel portion furthercomprises an alignment element that is structured to be engageable withthe upper kennel portion or the lower kennel portion to resist movementof the upper kennel portion and the lower kennel portion along theorthogonal axis during translation of the upper kennel portion betweenthe first and second positions.
 8. The pet kennel of claim 7, whereinthe alignment element is further structured to retain the firstengagement elements aligned with the second engagement elements and toretain the abutment element spaced from the upper connection apparatusand the lower connection apparatus.
 9. The pet kennel of claim 7,wherein the alignment element extends from one of the upper shellportion and the lower shell portion and is engageable with the other ofthe upper shell portion and the lower shell portion.
 10. The pet kennelof claim 2, wherein the upper and lower shell portions are offset fromone another along the longitudinal axis in the first position, the upperand lower shell portions being aligned with one another along thelongitudinal axis in the second position.
 11. The pet kennel of claim 1,wherein at least some of the first engagement elements and the secondengagement elements comprise a ramped engagement surface that isstructured to engage a corresponding portion of the other of the firstengagement elements and the second engagement elements when the uppershell portion is moved toward the second position.
 12. The pet kennel ofclaim 1, wherein the upper connection apparatus further comprises anelongated pair of upper supports situated at alternate sides of theupper shell portion, the lower connection apparatus further comprisingan elongated pair of lower supports situated at alternate sides of thelower shell portion, the pair of upper supports being situated atop thepair of lower supports in the first position of the upper shell portion.13. The pet kennel of claim 12, wherein the upper connection apparatusfurther comprises a rim that extends adjacent the pair of uppersupports, the upper shell portion being connected with a first side ofeach upper support, the rim being connected with a second side of eachupper support that is opposite the first side.
 14. The pet kennel ofclaim 13, wherein at least one upper support has an opening formedtherein, a first engagement element being mounted to the rim that isadjacent the opening.
 15. The pet kennel of claim 14, wherein the firstengagement element is further mounted to the upper support that isadjacent the opening.
 16. The pet kennel of claim 15, wherein the rimextends substantially continuously adjacent to the upper support. 17.The pet kennel of claim 14, wherein at least a portion of at least onelower support is situated between the upper support and at least aportion of the first engagement element in the second position of theupper shell portion.
 18. The pet kennel of claim 13, wherein the firstside of each upper support is an inboard side, and the second side ofeach upper support is an outboard side.